Method of forming and assembling connecting sleeves



Dec. 28, 1948 v J. M. WHITE 2,457,796

I METHOD OF FORMING AND ASSEMBLING CONNECTING SLEEVES Filed Oct. 10,1944 a so 31 lll'ili A 15 x Q;

JESSE M. WHITE INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 28, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OFFORMING ANDASSEMBLING CONNECTING SLEEVES Jesse M. White, Philadelphia, Pa. 1Application October 10, 1944, Serial No. 558,097

9 Claims.

This invention relates to harnesses such as are employed in conjunctionwith the wiring of motor vehicles and is concerned primarily with theconstruction and assembly of the connecting sleeves included in suchharnesses.

This application is a continuation in part of application Serial No.481,639, filed April 2, 1943 (now abandoned) which is a division of myapplication Serial No. 199,579, filed April 2, 1938, now

Patent No. 2,318,647, which issued under date of May 11, 1943.

At the present time it is common practice in this art to utilize aconnecting sleeve whichcomprises an outer sleeve member of appropriateinsulating material, and within which is assembled an inner sleeve ofconducting material. .This inner sleeve carries, adjacent eachextremity, an inwardly extending protuberance designed for cooperationwith a groove on a terminal which may be inserted into thesleeve, andthe inner sleeve is anchored to the outer insulating sleeve in a mannerwhich is not meeting with complete satisfaction in this art, and whichis intended to be improved by the present invention,

Accordingly, this invention has in view, as its foremost objective, theprovision of a connecting sleeve of the character above noted whichembodies improved means. for assembling the inner conducting sleeve withthe outer insulating sleeve.

More in detail this invention contemplates an arrangement wherein theinsulating sleeve is maintained uniform and even so far as the outercylindrical walls thereof are concerned, but which includes on the wallof the bore extending therethrough an inwardly projecting lug. The innerconducting sleeve is of a split construction, and intermediate itsextremities is cut away to, provide a recess for receiving the lug.

A particularly important object of the invention is the provision of anovel method offassembling an inner conducting sleeve of the characterabove noted with the outer insulating sleeve. This method essentiallyinvolves the formation of the split sleeve construction with the edge ateach side of the split notched to ultimately provide a recess forreceiving the lug. The blank or metal from which the sleeve is formed isthen deformed into a sleeve-like formation, with one end compressed to agreater degree than the other end, to cause the edges of the split tooverlap, whereupon the sleeve may be inserted with the constrictedportion riding over the lug in the outer insulating sleeve. Subsequentexpansion of the split sleeve by an appropriate tool insures l l 2 of afirm anchorage of the inner sleeve within the outer insulating sleeve.

Another highly important object of the present invention is to provide,in a connecting sleeve of the character above noted, an innerconductingsleeve which includes novel andimproved projections designed tocooperate withterminals which may be inserted thereinto.

More in detail this invention has as an object the provision of an innerconducting sleeve which is formed at each end with a projectionextending into the bore thereof, and which projection is characterizedas including a gradually inclined surface extending toward the open endof the sleeve, and which terminates in a sharp shoulder. Theseprotuberances may be formed by being struck from the blank of metalprior to the latter being deformed into the sleeve formation.

Various othermore detailed objects and advantages such as arise inconnection with forming the outer insulating and inner conductingsleeves respectively, and assembling the same in accordance with thisinvention, will in part become apparent and in part be hereinafterstated.

The invention, therefore, comprises a connecting sleeve which consistsof an outer insulating sleeve having a bore which is interrupted by aninwardly extending lug. Received within the bore is an inner conductingsleeve of a split construction, and having a recess for receiving thesaid lug. The inner conducting sleeve is also formed adjacent eachextremity with an inwardly extending protuberance which presents agradually inclined surface extending towards the open end of the sleeve,and which terminates in an abrupt shouler. A particularly important partof the invention is the method of assembling the inner conducting sleevewith the outer insulated sleeve.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention referencemay be had to the following description and accompanying drawings,wherein Figure l is 'a side view of an outer insulating sleeve made inaccordance with the precepts of this invention. In this view a part ofthe sleeve has been broken away to bring out the construction of theinwardly extending lug;

Figure 2 is a view in end elevation of the sleeve shown in Figure 1, andis taken in the direction indicated by the arrow 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a similar view taken from the other end looking in thedirection of the arrow 3;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a blank of metal prior to being deformed intothe sleeve-like formation;

Figure 5 shows the blank of metal after it has been partially deformed,while Figure 6 develops the inner sleeve in condition for being insertedinto the outer sleeve;

Figure '1' is an elevational showing through the connecting sleeve as anentirety developing a terminal as assembled therewithin;

Figure 8 is a sectional View of certain die pressing apparatus which maybe;emp loyed.in.;the manufacture of the outer insulating sleeve;

Figure 9 is a plan view of a modified form of conductor means or insertmeans; and

Figure 10 is a perspective. View showing. the conductor means or insertmeans illustratedin Figure 9 in a contracted state ready for insertioninto the insulator housing.

Referring now to the drawings: wherein-like.

reference characters denote corresponding parts,

and more particularly to Figures 1, 2 and-3;; am.

outer insulating sleeve intended to constitute an essential-.gpa-rtl tth-e -co nnecting-; sleeve of this invention is identified by thereierencecharacter I ll andis shown as .-having;.a;1;substantiallysmooth everrputer cylindrical, wall This sleeve; I 0 .may-

be made-from any appropriate insulating:- mate.- ia i bu e m ea 2 21 arrs in-min 34 131161191 condensation products which is susceptible, whilein atplasticstate, to being formed byv die-- pressing;operationsdnto theconstruction he e n i e eser b d; net l-3 The: sleeve i lli hasran innercylindricalbore I I whieh1is interrupted by. a lug; designated I2 hez qi'? a e eial sed m yr considered to be a. cavity apenture-g chamber" orpocket. The-dug I 2 ;is-.forme d :irr thebore l i substantiallyequiedistant the.'g61fldS thl3r80f,1 and. one edge thereof ,is;cut away;to: provide a-Joevel designated I 3, this for salpurpose to behereinafter described;

Theendofthesleeve I O-towards which thebeveled-f edge: %I 3 is Idisposed is; provided with suitable.

indicia,; such 'asthenick shown" at 92in. Figure 2,

this-for, the-purposevof ;indicating twhich. end is to be used ininserti ithe, innerjconnecting sleeve into. this outertinsulatingsleeve;

It is aparticularly notable. that the lug I2 extends onl-y avshortdistance into the= bore I I, as. depictedsiimfl-igures z ands 3,;leaving: sufiicient; roomfor :thednsertion of the inner sleeve; as will.

b e er n ite pa nted t.

Inasmuch as the-invention has in view. .thelformation of the outerinsulating -sleeve=l 0 l by; a .die. pressingoparationa reference isil'lQwimEtditQjFig ure 8. Which' shows; an;outergcontainingrmcldeleament g I A formed;..with: a-borezl 5 in: which operate 1 fisslfi fin7-. The ,dielfiecarriesria' core .I8rof cylindrical; formation; whilethe-;.di-e :,I 'I carries a;

cored SI,1 one 'endcofgiwhichzisrcut'awayg' as shown at 20 toadefine.;a.space-in:which: the lug I 2 is formed. It -.is eviden,t.:,that:whenathe dies.- I6 and 1 I1 are brought towards each other;and-:withxthe insu= latingmateriall a plastic .state positioned. aboutthe cores I8 and I9, the insulating material .will be worked into. :thesleeveelikeu formation illustrated...

Referring now- ;.morewparticularly{to :Figure' 4;

alblanksof= metalfrom which the inner-conducting sleeve is formedsisidentified inaitsentirety by the.

reference .characte r,-.-B; 4 The ;-:metal 1 employed in the manufactureof; atherinner conducting; sleeve should obviously be a :good conductingmaterial. such as an appropriate copper alloy, which has the desired.properties; of springiness and resiliency; I

TheblankB. ist of. a gener ,1 rectangular formation presenting edges 2|and 22 which are formed:

substantially equi-distantly between their eX- tremities with notches 23and 24. At one end the blank B is formed with a projection defined by agradually inclined wall 25, and a sharp abrupt shoulder 26, and thisprojection is duplicated at the other extremity of the blank. It will benoted that the inclined walls 25 extend towards the free edge of theblank B, while the abrupt shoulderifitis \disposedtowards the centralportion of the=blank"B.

The blank B with the notches 23 and 24 and the projections defined bythe surfaces 25 and 26 may beformediina single stamping operation byemploying appropriate dies in a well-known manner.

Aftervtheblank B has been fashioned, as shown in Figured, itlis bentinto the formation depicted in Figure 5," in which it will be noted thatthe edgesdiland 22 are spaced apart. This deforming of the blank B iscontinued further until the blank assumes the.sleeve-likeformationidentified infisure 6-, and the inner;conn'ectingsleeve; is -nowh identifiedcbya the reference character S;

It ..will. .be noted that the notches 23 and 24- cooperate to defineatrecess .designatedd'l, and that .at.one end theedges .2 I and .22iaresl-ightly spaced: apart, .as indicated at 1.28. At the r otherend,,how.ever, ,the. deformation. has .been carried furtherto provide an.overlappbetween the edges.

2 land-22, as shownatllia It 'isxevident that the portion of the sleeveS formed withtthe overlap" sertedinto the end of.. the sleeve I0-which.bears. the indicating nicks... The,.constricted diametrie cal.dimensionof theoverlapZB provides for the latter riding over. the lugI2..with. thebevel- I3 cooperatingin ,thislactionz.

When thesleeve Shas been inserted an -appropriate distancethe. lug .I 2will bereceived. in the recess 21', andfan appropriate tool may now-be.

' availed offto expandjthatpportion ofth'esleeVecarryingth'e,overlap,29;. Theother extremity of the sleeves'lmayalsobeexpanded by a tool to provide anoticeable advantage. This advantage istied -up with'the ,factlth'at thesmaterial. employed. in the formation.ofthe "inner connecting sleeve S'h'asth'e .propertyof resiliency andspringiness, toaa required iextent... When once formed into .theconstrictedformation.shown, and later expanded,'i the metalfalways.exerts a! tendencyto return toits constrictedzcondition. Thus when a.

terminal such..asshown at'T is inserted into. the bore of Tthfesleevesctheconicalformation of the nose of 'the terminalfwhich. isindicatedat 30 111. cause ,the terminals .toQride. past theincli'nedfsurfaces 25;. exertinga slight expanding.

action on the sleeves; v

However; when the projection defined'by the surfaces -'25and"26 'ispositioned in the groove 3| form'edimtheterminal Tf the metal of thesleeve s'will =exert"a 'markeditendency to'grip the ter= terminal T inthe-connecthrg sleevep It is -'notable that the groove 1 3 I may includea sharply inclined shouldersuch as shown at 32,

whichi-isdesigned;for=cooperation with the abrupt i above;desQri-bednexcept for. :three important 83m ace-mac tures. The modifiedform of insertmeans isprovided witha centrally disposedgenerally-rectangular cutout 33 of asize to. receive the lug l2. Thelongitudinal sides of the cutout are preferably disposed parallel :tothe end-margins-v of the insert and the transverse ends of thecutoutgene erallyparallel toathe longitudinal edges of the insert means.The longitudinal edges of the insert means are preferably interrupted bya pair of transverse notches opposite the end mar gins of the cutout 33.By providing arelatively large cutout or recess 33 and the notches orslits 35, the blank maybe easily rolled or formed, preferably into thedesired shape illustrated .;in Figure so as to providesubstantially:corresponding terminal receptacles 36, which:are mo1 e orless independently operable of each other. In this modification orembodiment of the invention both of the terminal receptacles arepreferably contracted. By this arrangement either end or extremity ofthe insert means may be inserted into an end of the insulator housing sothat the recess formed by the cutout receives the lug l2, whereupon bothof the receptacles 36 are expanded separately or simultaneously, thuslooking the parts in assembly.

Accordingly, it will be apparent that in the modification of theinvention illustrated in Figures 9 and 10, the recess is disposed in adifferent place, that both of the receptacles are contracted andsubsequently expanded; and that either end of the insert means may beinserted into one end of the insulator housing.

The above described methods and construction of the parts provides ahighly simplified construction of outer insulating sleeve and innerconducting sleeve respectively, together with a method for assemblingthese parts so as to positively insure of the sembled position.

Obviously slight changes might be made in the several steps of themethod and formation of the particular parts without departing from thespirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of assembl ng a connecting sleeve of the characterdescribed which consists in forming an outer insulating sleeve having abore and carrying a lug extending into said bore, forming an innerconducting sleeve of a split construction with a recess intermediate theextremities thereof, constricting said inner sleeve at one end to agreater extent than at the other, and then inserting said constrictedend into said outer sleeve, and passing the constricted end past thesaid lug to cause the latter to be received in said recess.

2. The method of assembling a connecting sleeve of the characterdescribed which consists in forming an outer insulating sleeve having abore and carrying a lug extending into said bore, forming an innerconducting sleeve of a split construction with a recess itnermediate theextremities thereof, constricting said inner sleeve at one end to agreater extent than at the other, and then inserting said constrictedend into said outer sleeve, passing the constricted end past the saidlug to cause the latter to be received in said recess, and thenexpanding said constricted end portion.

3. The method of assembling an inner conducting sleeve with an outerinsulating sleeve having a bore and carrying a lug extending into saidbore which consists in first stamping a blank of parts maintaining theirasmetal into substantially a rectangular formation with a notch in eachside thereof, deforming said blank into-(a sleeve-like, formation withthe said notches; defining atrecess, constricting one end of saidsleeve-like formation to cause the meeting edges totoverlap, andthenpassing said portionhaving-the overlapping, edges into said outerinsulating -sleevepast said lug to cause the lug to bereceivedinsaidrecess.

4. Theqmethod of. assembling an inner conducting sleeve ,with an outerinsulating sleeve having-a boreand carrying a lug extending intosaid-bore which consists in first stamping. a blank of metal into.substantially a rectangular formationnvithza notch in each sidethereof,deformin said .LbIank into asleeve-like formation with the said notchesdefining a recess, constricting one end of said sleeve-like formation tocause the meeting edges to overlap, then passing said portion having theoverlapping edges into said outer insulating sleeve past said lug tocause the lug to be received in said recess, and then expanding thatportion of the sleeve having the overlapped edges.

5. The method of forming and assembling an inner conducting member withan outer insulating body having a cavity and carrying abutment meansextending into said cavity which consists in providing notches in ablank of metal, deforming said blank into a pair of terminal receptacleswith the said notches defining a recess, compressing a portion of one ofthe receptacles so that the portion overlaps another portion of thereceptacle, and then passing said overlapped portion into said outerinsulating body past said abutment means to cause the abutment means tobe received in said recess.

6. The method of forming and assembling an inner conducting member withan outer insulating body having a chamber and carrying abutment meansextending into said chamber which consists in providing notches in ablank of metal, deforming said blank into a pair of terminal receptacleswith the said notches defining a recess, compressin at least a portionof one receptacle so that the portion overlaps another portion thereof,then passing said overlapped portion into said outer insulating bodypast said abutment means to cause the abutment means to be received insaid recess and so that the overlapped portion may be expanded to lockthe parts together.

7. The method of forming and assembling a contact with a chambered bodyof insulating material provided with a pair of abutment means, whichconsists in forming a blank of metal into a wire holding part andterminal receiving means and making a notch between the part andreceiving means with the notch and an adjacent edge of the contactforming a recess, compressing at least a portion of the receiving means,and then inserting the contact into the chamber to a point substantiallyentirely within the confines of the body of insulating material so thatat least a portion of the part and a portion of the receiving means aredisposed side by side in offset overlapped relation in the chamber andthe recess will receive one of the abutment means whereby to assist inholding the contact against movement in one direction and so that thecompressed portion when expanded will engage the other abutment means tohold the contact against movement in another direction.

8. The method of forming and assembling conductor means with a tubularopen-ended body of 2} insulating material of which a: portion thereof.may form lockingmeans; whiehconsist's in form-v inga cut-out in a blank:of metal; shaping the blank into a pair of 1 receptacles: adapted tor'e=-- ceiveconductors with: the cut-outand an adja-- cent; edge of theconductor mean-swarming a re:- cess between the receptacles;andthen'inserting the conductor meanssubstantially entirely into thebody of insulating material to'engagethe-ree cess with the lockingportion of said' body! 9. A method of fol-'ming and" assemb1in'g 'con:-'ductorrmeanswith a bodyi-offinsulating material having an opening:therein 1 ofwhichavportion of: the' body: may" constitute locking means;which consists in forming: azcut-out in ablank of mateirial; shaping theblankinto an pair: of condncl'm'.-

engagingrportionszwithathe cut out disposed'be tween-t the engaging.portions; and. then inserting the conduotor meansinto the opening'of:Ithe body of insulating material so that a portion of thebodyaisreceived' in the out-out wherebyv to lookttheparts'imassembly.

JESSE MLWHITEL REFERENCE-S CITED The fol-lowing"; references are: of irecord 'in' the fiie: of this" patent:

UN STA'I'ES: PATENTS;

Number Name Date 1276?,80'8 N-ietmam June 24, 1930 235E003. Douglas May9, 1939

